Present techniques relate to a proximity authentication protocol used in the authentication of communication channels between devices. More particularly, the techniques relate to a method of authenticating a communication channel between a first device and a second device by providing proof of proximity between both devices.
More and more devices are being connected to each other and to cloud computing services, for example as part of the “Internet of Things”. For example, relatively small devices such as temperature sensors, healthcare monitors and electronic door locks can be connected to the cloud so that they can be accessed and controlled using remote systems. For example, the door may be remotely opened from a remote platform, or data from a temperature sensor or healthcare monitor may be aggregated at a remote location and accessed from another device. Hence, there is an increasing amount of data being collected by cloud platforms and their providers.
As the Internet of Things becomes more widespread then internet security is becoming an increasingly important issue. Suppose a user wants to connect a smartphone to a device for the purposes of sharing data or performing a transaction then it is important that the user has confidence that the smartphone is connecting to the intended device, rather than a rogue device. Further, if the communication channel is intended to carry private data then the user must have confidence that the communication channel can be made secure.